News

Father Christopher C. Steinle, O.S.A., recently returned to Latin America in his new ministry as an Augustinian missionary to the Province of St. Michael, headquartered in Quito, Ecuador. Father Steinle began this service in February following several years of ministry for the domestic needs of the Midwest Augustinians’ Province.

Anne and Don Berschback

Anne and Don are Augustinian Affiliates, members of the Augustinian Advancement Council, and members of the Restless Hearts Society and St. Clare of Montefalco Parish in Grosse Pointe Park. Anne was a Co-Chair of the Inaugural Augustinian Gala in 2013. Don is an alumnus of the now-closed Austin Catholic High School in Detroit, a Vice-Chair for the Continuing Our Journey of Faith campaign, and a practicing Michigan attorney.

Joe Brennan

Joe attended Mendel and St. Augustine high schools; St. Monica’s Novitiate; and Tolentine and Lewis colleges. After more than 20 years as a high school Spanish teacher and coach at Niles West, he became the school’s AV/Media coordinator. He currently serves as the Creativity & Innovation Specialist at Meridian middle school in Buffalo Grove, IL and teaches in the Instructional Media program for Wilkes University.

Susan and G.T. Bynum

Susan and G.T. are the proud parents of two children, Robert and Annabelle. G.T. attended two Augustinian schools: Cascia Hall in Oklahoma and Villanova University in Pennsylvania. He currently serves on the Augustinian Advancement Council. He works as a Councilor for the City of Tulsa and is campaigning to be elected the city’s mayor in 2016.

Bob and Mary Carroll

Bob and Mary Carroll are parishioners of St. John Fisher Parish in the Beverly area of Chicago. Bob spent 30 years as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County and now serves as the Director of Finance for the Midwest Augustinians in their provincial offices. In 2003, Cardinal Francis George ordained Bob a permanent deacon; Bob is assigned to St. John Fisher. Bob and Mary’s oldest son, Bobby, is preparing to be an Augustinian priest. Bobby graduated from St. Rita High School in 2011, from Villanova University in 2015, and is a Novice in the Augustinian Novitiate in Racine, Wisconsin.

Jim Foody, M.D.

Jim attended St. Augustine Seminary High School in Holland, Michigan and continued studies at Tolentine College in Olympia Fields. He later moved to Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where he serves as Professor of Medicine and Vice-Chairman for Clinical Affairs. In 2013, he was ordained a deacon in the Diocese of Joliet. He co-chaired the 2014 Augustinian Gala and was an honoree of 2015 gala.

Mindy and Mark Hacker

Mindy and Mark are both graduates of Villanova University; the couple also co-chaired the 2015 Augustinian Gala. Mark is a graduate of St. Rita High School, a member of the Board of Directors of St. Rita High School, a member of the Augustinian Advancement Council and a Vice-Chair of the Continuing Our Journey of Faith campaign. Mark is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer at Motorola Solutions, Inc.

Catharine and Edward Hennesy, Co-Chairs

Catharine and Ed are the Co-Chairs of the 2016 Augustinian Gala. The couple had also been extensively involved in the former Chulucanas Mission Club, a fundraising group formed by Bishop John McNabb, O.S.A. Ed practices law in Chicago at Hennessy & Roach Law Firm. Catharine is an Assistant Commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation. They are the proud parents of two St. Rita High School students.

Wendy and Greg Jania

Wendy and Greg, married by the late Father Walter McNicholas, O.S.A., are the proud parents of two children. The couple has generously contributed gala sponsorships for the past two years. Greg is a graduate of St. Rita High School and the Vice-Chairman of the Augustinian Advancement Council. He is the Head of Fund Investing at APG Asset Management in New York.

Dan Kill

Dan Kill is a graduate of St. Augustine Seminary High School in Holland, Michigan, and has served on the Augustinian Gala Committee in previous years. Dan is a licensed clinical social worker and has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout his career. He has been instrumental in recent years in re-engaging the Augustinian Seminary Alumni of the Province.

Rev. Thomas R. McCarthy, O.S.A.

Fr. Tom is the Director of Vocations for the Augustinians in the Midwest, East Coast, and Canadian Provinces. He previously served as the President and Chairman of the Board at St. Rita High School. Father is also currently a member of the Provincial Council and a Vice-Chair for the Continuing Our Journey of Faith campaign. He is a graduate of St. Rita High School and Villanova University.

Jenny Meehan

Jenny is an active parishioner and pastoral associate of St. Rita Parish in Chicago. She had also been involved with St. Clare of Montefalco Parish in Chicago when the Augustinians had ministered there. Jenny has volunteered for many of the past Augustinian galas and Province events.

Pat Ormsby

Pat is a member of the Augustinian Advancement Council, a Vice-Chair for the Continuing Our Journey of Faith campaign, and a graduate of Mendel Catholic High School. He is also the President of Bimba Manufacturing, a company that specializes in pneumatics and hydraulics for factory automation and manufacturing robotics. He also serves on the Illinois Board of Manufacturing Association.

Very Rev. Bernard C. Scianna, O.S.A., Ph.D.

Fr. Bernie has served as the Prior Provincial of the Midwest Augustinians since 2010. He recently completed his second term as the Prior of Federation of Augustinians of North America. Father has also served as the Headmaster of Cascia Hall in Tulsa for 13 years. He is a graduate of St. Rita High School and Villanova University.

Lisa and Richard Solava

Lisa and Richard are both members of the Restless Hearts Society, devout parishioners of St. Jude Parish in New Lenox. They are both Augustinian Affiliates and recipients of the Augustinians’ Fidelitas Award. Lisa is a member of the Augustinian Advancement Council. She is a certified Professional Human Resources (PHR) and the Director of Human Relations at Tandem HR.

Rev. R. William "Bill" Sullivan, O.S.A.

Fr. Bill is an Associate Pastor of St. Jude Parish in New Lenox, and a member of the Provincial Council. He is a Vice-Chair of the Continuing Our Journey of Faith campaign and was honored at the 2014 Augustinian Gala. Father also has ministered extensively in Augustinian formation.

Denise and Rob Utter

Both Denise and Rob are parishioners of St. Jude Parish in New Lenox and members of the Augustinian Advancement Council. Denise is the Director of Parish Faith Formation at St. Jude, a Catechetical Associate for Family Faith Formation in the Diocese of Joliet, and a nationally recognized author and speaker forOur Sunday Visitor. Rob is the President and COO of the Blackhawk Consulting Group, the recognized leader in providing patient-friendly billing statements. He is a retired Illinois Army National Guardsman.

Marty Wojcik

Marty is a member of the Augustinian Advancement Council, and a graduate of Mendel Catholic High School. He recently retired as the Executive Director of the American College of Surgeons Foundation. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and has been a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, the Planned Giving Roundtable of Arizona, and the Chicago Council on Planned Giving.

Mike Zunica

Mike has worked with the Augustinians for 20 years at St. Rita High School. Throughout this time, he has coached award-winning baseball teams and led the fundraising efforts for the school’s annual Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance. He has also served on the Augustinian Advancement Council since 2012.

Thank you for volunteering to make this the best gala yet!

Patrick Murphy has been working with the Augustinians in fundraising and
communications since 2010. He began working with the Augustinian Vocations
office in 2015. He also holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management.

Midwest Augustinians

The Midwest Augustinians are a part of the Catholic Order of St. Augustine, known as the Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel. Our community life shapes our service in schools, parishes and missions. Our ministries span from the Midwestern United States to parts of Canada and northern Peru.